View source for Reformed Church in Zambia

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{{Infobox Christian denomination
|name = Reformed Church in Zambia
|main_classification = Protestant
|theology = Reformed
|polity = Presbyterian
|founded_date = 1898
|founded_place = Zambia
|parent = Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa
|associations = World Communion of Reformed Churches
|congregations = 154
|members = 500 000
}}

The '''Reformed Church in Zambia''' is among the biggest [[Reformed]] churches in the country of [[Zambia]].

==Origin==
Zambia, the former Northern Rhodesia, was governed by the [[United Kingdom|British]] crown. In 1924 it become a British protectorate. The Reformed Church in Zambia grow out of the mission work of the Dutch Reformed Church of the Orange Free State, [[South Africa]] started in the end of the 19th century.<ref name="oikoumene1">{{cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/reformed-church-in-zambia |title=Reformed Church in Zambia — World Council of Churches |publisher=Oikoumene.org |date=2013-01-28 |accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref> The first congregation was established in [[Lusaka]]. African evangelists played significant role of the establishment in the denomination. Members of the Dutch Reformed Church moved to [[Zambia]], and the church expanded rapidly. In the late 1950s eleven congregations with 3,300 members were in Zambia. Since 1982 it extended its mission work into Eastern Province, Luapula Province, Northern, Central and Northwest [[Zambia]]. The denomination was an [[Afrikaans]] church, but [[English language|English]] service were introduced in the early 1990s. By 2000 the Reformed Church in Zambia covers all Province of the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://drcz.ng.org.za/about-us/history/ |title=i-Svr Web Server :: A Service by ANNO Internet |publisher=Drcz.ng.org.za |date= |accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref>

==Statistics==
In 1996 the '''Reformed Church in Zambia''' formed. It had more than 500,000 members in 154 congregations, and 102 pastors, 39 evangelists in 16 [[Presbytery (church polity)|presbyteries]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reformed-Church-in-Zambia/201205509898094?id=201205509898094&sk=info |title=Reformed Church in Zambia - About |publisher=Facebook.com |date= |accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref> The official languages are [[English language|English]], [[Nyanja]], [[Chewa language|Chewa]], [[Ngoni language|Ngoni]], [[Nsenga]], [[Chichewa]] and [[Chew]].<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.reformiert-online.net/adressen/detail.php?id=112175&lg=eng |title=Address data base of Reformed churches and institutions |publisher=Reformiert-online.net |date=2006-04-13 |accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref>

==Theology==
*[[Apostles Creed]]
*[[Athanasian Creed]]
*[[Nicene Creed]]
*[[Heidelberg Catechism]]
*[[Canons of Dort]]
*[[Belgic Confession]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://drcz.ng.org.za/about-us/what-we-believe/ |title=i-Svr Web Server :: A Service by ANNO Internet |publisher=Drcz.ng.org.za |date= |accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref>

==Interchurch organisations==
The Reformed Church is a member of the [[World Communion of Reformed Churches]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcrc.ch/node/164 |accessdate=August 18, 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808192417/http://www.wcrc.ch/node/164 |archivedate=August 8, 2012 }}</ref> The global ministries of the [[Protestant Church in the Netherlands]] supports the theological college and the department of economics.<ref name="oikoumene1"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reformed-Church-in-Zambia/201205509898094?id=201205509898094&sk=info Reformed Church in Zambia]

{{Christianity in Zambia}}

[[Category:Christianity in Zambia]]
[[Category:Members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches]]
[[Category:Reformed denominations in Africa]]